Warm Hands
by Minuit Chanson17
Summary: For some reason, her cold hands reminded her of the small happiness he received - if it could be called happiness at all. What was his real reason of coming to Flanoir in the first place?


Wow, long time since I've posted a story.

Well here's to all the Sheelos fans, and hopefully this will satisfy the readers, until I post the fourth chapter of "Baby". This story is not specifically based on any part of the game, and the only spoilers are of Zelos' past, which I assume that everyone has heard of or seen already…maybe?

Anyhow, there's a little metaphorical lesson involved near the end of the story. Enjoy!

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Flanoir. It's snowy, white streets were an enchantment to all and it was a good place to be in, especially during the holiday season. Other than that, Flanoir was also famous for its unfailing atmosphere of love – somehow, and somewhere in the city's limits, people were always falling in love with somebody else.

Of course, none of those two reasons were the reasons as to why the usual group decided to stop there. Oh let's just say that, a certain Chosen kept whining and complaining about being exhausted and 'fighting' too much (least to say, he was the one always standing off to the side casting spells lazily). So as everyone braced for the worst that his choice would be Altamira to be a "choice" relaxation spot, everyone was caught off guard when he called Flanoir as the ideal place.

It struck the summoner in the group as an odd action of the Chosen, and noticed his peculiar behavior, even as he smiled his same mischievous smile as he declared the town's name. There was something definitely up his sleeve and whether it was for good or bad she couldn't tell.

If it's one thing about Zelos, he was about getting the "cute" girls in bathing suits and gorgeous smiles – not girls covered up in head to toe and attempting to warm their hands through their own breath. It wasn't his style to go out in the cold; he was about getting out there and spending most of his days outside instead of inside.

Besides the external look of Zelos' mind, another thing was peculiar about his choice. Flanoir was a snow-covered city. True that only Sheena herself knew of Zelos' tragic past of the blood-red snow, but he didn't even avoid Flanoir of being on his list of 'relaxation' spots. He blurted out the city straight on without a second thought, and it puzzled her that he would chose a city in such weather that pained him so.

She thought of all these strange behaviors and events as she overlooked the snow city. She was standing on the overlooking balcony that was above the city, and though a popular "romantic" spot, she couldn't help but bring herself there every time she needed to think or when she was in the city at all. Something was enchanting about the view she just couldn't point out. Snow wasn't enchanting at all…it kept bringing her mind back to the time Zelos had explained his past to her long ago and the images of his words kept playing in her mind as she saw the snow.

She shook her head and small snowflakes that landed on her head gracefully flew down from her hair. Why was she thinking of Zelos to begin with? Frustrated, she sighed and tried to put her thoughts elsewhere…

But to no luck.

For at that very moment, the very man she tried to push out of her thoughts had spotted her and was now walking up towards her way. She cringed inwardly at the stupid cause of timing and fate, or whatever else his coming could have meant.

He casually took a place next to her and leaned over the railing, just as she was. She did not dare to look at him, though it puzzled her as to why it was getting harder to do so.

"Hm? Is my little Sheenie-banshee ignoring me again?"

She snorted. "Since when do I not?"

"Ouch. Now that's something I can't counter." He smiled at her side-turned face, in which her cheeks were now radiating with a slight shade of pink; from the cold or from embarrassment, he couldn't tell.

But she could. And for sure (stupidly) the reason was not the former, but of the second one he had thought in his mind. She couldn't quite tell as to why she couldn't look at him…maybe those blue eyes would have captured her and swallowed her up, just as he wanted to…and she definitely did not want to fall into his trap.

Changing the topic, she sighed and looked at him.

"Why did you choose this city?"

"Well, why not?"

"It's just not like you…"

"Hm?" He moved his face closer to hers. "Is the banshee worrying about me?"

"What I'm saying," she said, ignoring his last remark, "it's…snowing here."

Zelos shifted his eyes to the side and finally knew he was beat. It was no use avoiding where she was going with her question, and he gave in.

"Yeah it's snowing…it's not like I can just magically change the weather, right? 'Boom!' and no snow?"

He scratched the back of his head and looked out towards the distance. No words were spoken between – the silence was loud enough to exchange the unspoken words already.

Sheena felt the silence and said nothing. It was awfully cold outside and she had no idea how long she had been standing there, but her hands were beginning to feel numb. Rubbing her hands together, she blew into them with her warm breath in her attempt to make them warm for that moment.

The cold instantly came back into her hands, of course, and for some reason it made her think of others' happiness; more specifically, the Chosen next to her. The warm breath that tickled her cold hands made them warm for even just a second, but in an instant it was gone, overtaken by the cold that surrounded it. It was kind of like the happiness he receives; one moment, its warm; in another instant moment, his tragic heart fills in once more and destroys the warm happiness that lasted for only that moment. Empty with nothing else, he settled for the little so-called happiness in life, letting his tragic memories fill in later, just so long as he gets the small happiness. But what kind of happiness is that? It slipped away in a second…so fast; it wasn't even what a person would call happiness.

It reminded her of her and her mind reverted back to the time of the Mizuho incident she had caused. The only thing she had to keep her happy was Corrine…but he slipped away and she had none…or so she thought.

She rubbed her hands once more and thought of it sadly, but mostly for the red-headed Chosen, though she couldn't point out why. Not wanting to say such an absurd question, Sheena pondered on whether or not she should. She knew that if she asked the simple question of being ok or not to him he would totally take it the wrong way. But seeing him down somehow put her down and it just felt like her own responsibility to make him happy once more. She had no idea when this sense of duty, or habit, came to be. But even so, she felt that it was her need and his as well.

"Hey…are you ok?"

Instead of answering her question, he held out his closed, fisted hand with the arm that was closest next to her. He did not turn his body but just his head, and casually moved his propped up arm to her, just enough to see.

"Hey, can you hold something for me? I got something at the store earlier, but I forgot to buy something and I really don't want to bring this down with me when I go back."

She was about to spat back with the typical, "You hold it yourself, stupid Chosen," but somehow decided against it. She sighed and held out her palm in the same manner his fist and arm were next to her.

"Fine. Give it to me."

He put his fist within her palm; but instead of dropping the so-called item within her palm, he intertwined his fingers with hers and held her cold hand with his warm one. Startled at his action, she immediately tried to let go with no success.

"Zelos?! What are you-"

"Shh." As he said this, his eyes were closed, face towards the sky. He slowly brought his head down once more, and when his eyes opened she couldn't help but notice those same distant eyes once more.

He said nothing, but continued to hold her hand securely with his own. And suddenly, the true meaning of his choice of Flanoir and their stay here was clear to her. His warm hand counteracted with her own cold one; the warmth of the desired and permanent happiness he looked for was within his own hand. He went against the coldness of his heart with that warm happiness, and made the coldness into a warmer feeling as well; all the while, comforting the one with the cold hand who also struggled with the menacing and cold, empty feeling of the heart. He had come to face the tragedy that hit him long ago, also with the full intention of bringing warmth into another who also faced the never ending coldness of their past and bringing them into the warmth he wanted as well.

Sheena stopped struggling and let her hand be. They neither talked nor looked at each other – only the warmth of their hands spoke the meaning loud and clear.

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Well another Sheelos story to all!

Hopefully the meaning of Zelos' warm hand and Sheena's cold hand was explained enough. Maybe a little complex? But I do hope you do understand it.

Thanks for reading!


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